The Serpent's Path
by TheRainbowCarrot
Summary: What if there was more to the founders than anyone expected and what if it would drastically change the the magical community? A new power is about to be awoken and it's going to take a smarter, more cunning Harry to face it. Enemies will be made and alliances stuck. This isn't your typical Evil Harry story.
1. Chapter 1

Hello People this is my first attempt at writing after a very long break. Please enjoy and be kind. I do this for your enjoyment rude comments will be deleted and ignored.

Summary: What if there was more to the founders than anyone expected and what if it would drastically change the the magical community? A new power is about to be awoken and it's going to take a smarter, more cunning Harry to face it. Enemies will be made and alliances stuck. This isn't your typical Evil Harry story.

* * *

Harry had long suspected that Dumbledore was hiding things from him. In the graveyard something had felt off. No matter how many times Harry revisited the memory he couldn't shake the feeling that Voldemort had wanted to say something. Sighing Harry rolled up to his feet pushing his ratty blanket to the end of the bed. Sleep wasn't coming tonight. Fumbling for his glasses and stretching his sore back Harry kneeled at the side of the bed. The loose board makes a stubborn creek causing Harry to tense and listen for footsteps. Thankfully the 2 bottles of wine have insured that Uncle Vernon wouldn't be making any nightly visits. He pulls out the large black tome from the darkness within. The book glows eerily in the half light from the moon, a long winding, silver snake barely visible. Nobody knew Harry had a book like this and if he had his way nobody ever would. Slytherin might have been an evil wizard but the guy had thought of everything. Settling himself on the bed, Harry ran his hand over the book almost lovingly before hissing his standard greeting.

"**Hello Hespur"**

The little snake seems to come alive, slithering around the cover to flick his tongue at Harry's hand

.

"_**Greetingsss Masster Harry. Do you wish to write thiss evening?"**_

"**Yes Hespur I must have a look over my notes. I'm close to the answer I'm sure of it." **

The snake's head bobs in understanding before slithering off the book to form a single delicate, blood red feather. Harry sets the feather beside him and flips through the pages. Blood red scribbles decorate nearly every page. Smiling at the memory of finding this spell Harry recalls the moment of shock he had when he found out that Hespur could translate his written words into parseltongue insuring that nobody in that bloody school could read a word of it. One could never be to safe however so harry made sure that neither Ron nor Hermione had seen it. That had proved to be a good thing if the end of the year was anything to judge by. The pair or friends had become even more annoying. From Hermione nattering at him to eat more, study harder, follow the rules and Ron practically gluing himself to Harry's side it was hard to decide what was worse. It felt like his every move was being watched. Shaking his head laughing Harry admonished that's exactly what was happening. Dumbledore trusted Harry about as much as Harry trusted him. Surprisingly potions was the only class left unaffected by the old man's 'protection'.

Snape refused to allow Ron or Hermione to work with him. Something about Harry not being able to leech off others and hide behind his fame to solve everything. Stuck instead at the slytherin table with Malfoy and Blaise, Harry had finally been able to relax. Whatever the reason Harry had never felt more grateful to the bastard. Oddly enough Malfoy had mostly ignored Harry's presence instead focusing on the potions and ingredients for the class.

"**Hespur I can't find the graveyard entry which page is it on?" **

Beside him the quill glowed softly and the pages pulsed, automatically flipping to the right page. The entry was small but contained his only point of view from the graveyard. Once returned to the school and after the fiasco with Moody Harry had shut himself away in moaning murtles bathroom and recorded all he could remember of the Dark Lord. The man had been terrifying of course but if he looked past the fear and panic he had felt harry knew there was something more. After touching him, a touch that seemed to scorch the bones in his body, Voldemort had seemed almost ...hesitant. It made no sense though. What could Harry possibly have expressed to make the great moldy warts reluctant? Picking up his Hespur quill Harry scribbled down his memories from the dream tonight. The look in Voldemort's eyes, they seemed to burn for a moment with interest before the flash of reluctance and anger returned. Maybe he wasn't as defenseless as they thought? Could his mother's protection still be to much for Voldemort to touch or was it something else? Did the Dark Lord see something desirable in him. Harry shivered at the thought.

"**Let's hope it's not that last one. I don't think I want to know what he would find desirable."**

"_**Perhaps it is your magic master"**_

"**My magic? What do you mean?"**

"_**You have very sstrong magic Master it flowss bright and ssteady in your blood. If this wizard is as power hungry as you have mentioned then perhapss he hasss changed hiss mind."**_

"**You can see my magic?"**

"_**yes you are like looking at the ssun masster"**_

"**So it's bright white then..figures. They've beat so much good magic into me I must look like a freaking light bulb." **Sighing Harry flopped on the bed, resting his head on his hand as he looked off into the darkness of his room.

"_**It is not like that ball that glows when you push the muggle button. Your magic is more ssubtle. It movess around you but has yet to color."**_

"**Has no color? Does that mean I'm not a light wizard?"**

"_**Your magic iss sstil growing masster. Until you come of age it will not choose a path."**_

"**Are you saying I could practice the dark arts without anyone knowing?"**

A crash down the hall had Harry scrambling to his feet and rudely stuffing the quill in book and under his bed. The footsteps stumble, a thump coming from the wall directly outside his room. Locks rattle and fall on the floor with little care for the noise they're making. The door is pushed open and Dudley's ugly face appears.

"**Well well you best be quiet potty. You wouldn't want to wake Vernon. At least if you come quietly tonight I'll make sure I stop before you bleed..too much that is."**

Harry cursed under his breath but took a deep breath to help resign himself to his fate. Struggling would only make it worse and in the end Dudley was the better of his two tormentors. At least Dudley allowed him to shower afterwards. So much for a quiet night.


	2. Chapter 2

I'm glad everyone seems to be enjoying it so far. I will continue with smaller but weekly updates and we'll see how it goes from there. I encourage everyone to stick around until Harry returns to Hogwarts as I have many interesting things planned. On that note i'll get out of the way and let you enjoy the story.

Chapter 2

Breakfast was a quiet affair. Harry tiredly limped around the kitchen being careful of his bruised ribs on the sharp corners. Vernon and Petunia seemed particularly interested in the news this morning. A major developing firm whose CEO was good friends with his uncle had just fired their director of operations. The guy had been using company funds to pay for his monthly vacations. The scandal went on and on but Harry couldn't be bothered to listen anymore. The up side was no Petunia to bark at him and push him around the kitchen. How that women managed to fool anyone with her cooking was a wonder. The only thing she knew how to make was sweets. The food cooked, Harry carried it to the table. Three perfect looking plates piled high with everything one could want for breakfast. The tea was set out next followed by the coffee for Uncle Vernon and the expensive new energy drinks for Dudley.

Murmurs from the next room could be hear over the running water as Harry made quick work of the dishes.

"I never liked that jackle. I told Miller he was a shady one."

"His wife had such poor tastes in jackets. Did you see her at the christmas party? No respectable person would wear that yellow disgrace. You would be a much better fit for that job."

"It's likely put a wrench in Miller's plans I'll stop by this morning before work and have a chat with him. With some luck we'll be moving up Petunia."

"We can move to a bigger house? I want the new 70' TV and a new game system!"

"Whatever you want my Dudley. Oh Vernon this could be our big chance."

Rolling his eyes Harry gathered the now clean pots and pans to put away. His stomach twisted in protest at the smells leading in from the dinning room. It had been 3 days since he had eaten a meal and unfortunately the cakes Hagrid had sent only lasted so long. Poking his head around the kitchen to insure that everyone was still engrossed in the scandal, Harry tucked a half burnt piece of sausage into his pocket and quietly made his way upstairs.

The first thing Harry noticed was the large bird sitting on his bed. Not having the heart to see his beloved friend locked in her cage Harry had set her free to remain at Hogwarts over the summer. This bird was definitely not from the school. It's coloring, beak and talons suggested an eagle of some kind. The bird watched him closely with it's large intelligent eyes as Harry closed the door behind him. Walking carefully towards the bed Harry spotted a plain looking scroll held in one of the birds clawed feet.

"Easy easy. You're a beautiful bird. May I have that?" Harry reached down to take the note causing the bird to shriek and fan his feathers. A sharp bite to his hand later and Harry pulled the note free. Turning it in his hands he could find no indication of who had sent it. The parchment didn't look evil in fact it didn't seem to contain anything at all. There was no curse or spell that he could detect with his wand. Surely someone hadn't sent him a blank piece of parchment as a joke.

Harry looked back to his bed to see the bird still watching him as if expecting an answer. No someone had sent this for a reason. Maybe the message could only be viewed a certain way? It's not like Harry could do any real magic outside of school the person who sent this must have known that. Unless..Harry dove under the bed and pulled his book out.

"**Hespur"**

The snake slithered across the book's surface but refused to reply. **"Oh come now you know I can't allow anyone to see you. Dudley would have tossed you into the fire."**

Still the snake book stubbornly remained silent. Grumbling Harry apologized for tossing the book so rudely under the bed last night.

"_**Asss you sshould Masster. I may be a book but I will not be treated sso poorly."**_

"**Yes yes i'm sorry already. Now will you answer my question or are you going to sulk all day?"**

The snake moved around the cover of the book curlling up on the front to stare at him. Taking it as silent permission Harry carried the book over to the piece of parchment.

"**Is it possible for there to be spell on an item that hides all trances of magic and text from someone looking at it?"**

"**_Many such spells exist Masster."_**

"**If..say..a Slytherin wanted to hide something in a message would you know a way to break the spell?"**

"_**You think thisss iss from him Masster?"**_

"**I think it is from someone who doesn't want to be tracked. The bird is waiting though so there must be a way for me to read this without needing to use magic."**

"_**Use blood"**_

"**Blood? But we're not supposed to put our blood on anything we don't.." **The snake cover looked at him scathingly. **"Okay maybe you're right."**

Harry reached for the broken pen his Aunt had gifted him for Christmas last year and used the sharp side to slice his finger letting a few drops of his blood drip onto the parchment below. Putting his finger in his mouth to sooth the cut, Harry watched for any change – Nothing happened.

"**Well that's a no"**

"_**Look again Massster there are liness appearing."**_

Looking back down sure enough long spidery text was slowly filling the parchment. Frowning Harry leaned closer. The text was very fancy and it took him a few moments to understand what he was reading.

"**It's in Parseltongue"**

"_**What doess it ssay Masster?"**_

Harry leaned in to get a closer look, **"I'm not sure it looks like some sort of poem. Why would Voldemort send me a poem?"**

"_**Can to read it Masster?"**_

"**No I don't think it starts at the beginning more like something from the end of a poem. It doesn't really make any sense."**

"_**Maybe it is a tesst Masster"**_

Grabbing a spare quill and parchment from under his bed, Harry wrote out the lines. **"I don't know where this is from but i'll find out. Maybe there's something more to the poem or Voldemort could just be screwing with me. On the other hand finding out could explain why everything has been so weird this past few months."**

"_**The bird Masster, what will you send in reply? Use me I will translate it for you"**_

Harry picked up Hespur and carefully wrote across the bottom of the parchment as neatly as he could.

Dear Snake Face,

Lets be honest who else would send me anything in parseltongue. I would ask how you know where I live but I'm not even surprised. I don't know what you're getting at by sending me a poem.

Don't you have any other teenagers to terrorize?

Harry

Ps: I have nothing to give your bird for his troubles.

Harry wrapped the scroll back up turned to the bird which was still watching him. **"If you don't bite me you can have this" **He pulled the stolen sausage out of his pocket and held it out for the bird. It was quickly devoured. Harry gently tied the note to the bird's leg and moved back to pull the curtain from the window. Sensing it's job to obtain an answer was complete the eagle jumped to the window sill and soared out.

"**I'm never going to have a normal year at Hogwarts am I?"**

Harry sore Hespur was laughing at him as the book cover became inactive again.


End file.
